Marvel Studios Has The Perfect Opportunity To Introduce The MCU's New BLACK PANTHER Later This Year

Marvel Studios Has The Perfect Opportunity To Introduce The MCU's New BLACK PANTHER Later This Year

With rumours swirling about plans for a new T'Challa/Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we have some thoughts on how his introduction could play out as soon as this summer. Check it out...

Editorial Opinion
By JoshWilding - Jan 14, 2025 04:01 PM EST
Filed Under: Black Panther

When Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020 following a hard-fought battle with cancer, the world was left reeling. Beyond his role as T’Challa in the MCU, the actor’s star was on the rise and, down the road, it was easy to picture him finding huge success across both mainstream blockbuster fare and during awards season. Tragically, we never got to see any of that become a reality. 

Marvel Studios decided that sidelining the Black Panther franchise and Wakanda would be a disservice to Boseman and forged ahead with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Rather than recast the role, T’Challa died off-screen and his sister Shuri inherited the mantle. In the sequel’s closing moments, we met the fallen King’s son, Toussaint, who we’d later learn shared the "T’Challa" name. It appeared the idea was that he’d eventually inherit his father’s role as Black Panther, giving the MCU a new T’Challa in the process.

This month, there have been rumblings online that Marvel Studios is in the process of recasting this role. Few solid details have been revealed, meaning this T’Challa could be a Multiversal Variant or the adult Toussaint who takes centre stage in Black Panther 3 (presumably after the post-Avengers: Secret Wars relaunch ages him up). 

Fans have reacted positively to the prospect of seeing T’Challa back on screen, with Cross and Black Adam star Aldis Hodge emerging as an immediate fan favourite for the role. 

While we don’t anticipate seeing this new Black Panther on screen for a few years yet, there’s a movie coming out this year that could open the door to a new T’Challa making his presence felt in the MCU much sooner than expected: The Fantastic Four: First Steps

As we’re sure you’re aware, Black Panther debuted in the pages of Fantastic Four #52 in 1966. His formative years are tied closely to this team and he’s been a recurring ally (and even a member of the group) ever since.

During that first appearance, the Wakandan hero battles each of the Fantastic Four to help prepare for a future clash with Ulysses Klaw. A recreation of that would be a blast to see on screen, even if it’s only briefly. Plus, it makes sense for Reed Richards to seek out T’Challa’s genius in helping stop Galactus, particularly if their world is under threat. And, if Doctor Doom also hails from this reality, then that's another dynamic worth exploring in Avengers: Doomsday

There are admittedly a couple of glaring issues with this theory. For starters, The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman has confirmed that Marvel’s First Family are the only heroes in their world. On the other hand, if this movie is set to introduce a new T’Challa Variant, then it will have been one of the reboot’s most closely guarded secrets. All it would take is for the team to journey to their version of Wakanda to seek the hero’s assistance - paying homage to the classic issue mentioned above - and Black Panther could then hitch a ride to the Sacred Timeline before being cemented as the new T’Challa once everything is reset. 

Do we think this is likely? Well, it’s hard to say but this is as good a place as any to introduce a new Black Panther, particularly if he’ll be among the many Multiversal Variants in play in the next Avengers movies (and c’mon, we need to see that comic book moment where T’Challa wields the Infinity Gauntlet in live-action). 

As always, let us know your thoughts on this theory in the comments section below. 

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harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 1/14/2025, 4:13 PM
that was a good shit.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 1/14/2025, 4:14 PM

Just have Michael Jordan be King of Wakanda in the FF's world and multiverse him into the mainstream MCU world and reclaim the spot.

Problem solved with an excellent actor.
HashTagSwagg
HashTagSwagg - 1/14/2025, 4:15 PM
@DocSpock - I liked him in Space Jam but I don't think he's that strong of an actor.
Jackraow21
Jackraow21 - 1/14/2025, 5:09 PM
@DocSpock - Damn. I kind of like this.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 1/15/2025, 12:20 AM
@HashTagSwagg -

He does always seem to play the angry scowling face role in everything he's in.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 1/14/2025, 4:20 PM
I honestly like Shuri and thought Wakanda Forever told a compelling story with her taking up her brothers mantle (plus , it is comic accurate which people on here love to throw around)…
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I wouldn’t mind seeing more of her in that role but once Toussaint was introduced , it did make her feel like a placeholder in a way.

It’s fun to speculate about seeing a T Challa in FF but I feel just establishing this version of the team alongside their world aswell as Galactus & Silver Surfer is enough for one film so I don’t think we’ll get that.

I think the easiest route if they are indeed doing this is to have Toussaint/T Challa aged up post SW due to comic booky shenanigans so he can then take up the mantle.
RedFury
RedFury - 1/14/2025, 4:54 PM
@TheVisionary25 - I'd agree that aging him up is probably the easiest, and also smartest decision. Instead of having to introduce a new T'Challa with a different life, we already know the back story of Toussaint and care about it as he is the son of one of the MCU's most beloved characters. It's a no brainer that audiences will be far more attached to him than a variant. Hopefully Coogler pushes that way as well. I'm sure he has a huge influence on what they do with BP.

Who's your ideal casting? I know you've got someone good in mind lol.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 1/14/2025, 4:56 PM
@RedFury - my ideal would be Aldis Hodge.

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RedFury
RedFury - 1/14/2025, 4:57 PM
@TheVisionary25 - oh yeah that's right! Solid choice.
Maskmaster
Maskmaster - 1/14/2025, 4:29 PM
Why even have an FF movie at this point? They have data mined everything except Galactus and the Silver Surfer already. They ruined Inhumans and after all the characters that have been lifted ( Black Panther, Adam Warlock, - not to mention that Tom Holland has to approve of Spiderman wanting to join the FF, WTF?)MARVEL Zombies was the only trick left, and they took that already as well.
hainesy
hainesy - 1/14/2025, 4:36 PM
Enough with the variants.
MisterBones
MisterBones - 1/14/2025, 4:51 PM
Enough with this multiverse shit and variants.
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 1/14/2025, 5:02 PM
The next T'Challa is going to be T'Challa Jr. I would rather Black Panther 3 focus on Shuri, Nakia, Okoye, and M'Baku training him and showing him the traditions of Wakanda while having him learn more about his Baba. Then time jump to Black Panther 4 in a new trilogy with T'Challa Jr older and with the make of Black Panther and King and have Storm be his love interest.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 1/14/2025, 5:04 PM
Ya zero chance Josh.
Maskmaster
Maskmaster - 1/14/2025, 5:35 PM
It was ridiculous to kill Black Panther because Chadwick died. Can anyone give me any example of another fictional character that got killed off because the actor died?
V
V - 1/14/2025, 7:11 PM
I think the cultural significance of seeing a black super hero portrayed in such regality is lost on most. A black child asking their parents to dress as black panther for Halloween. To be a king, intelligent with a cadence of speech that commands respect regardless of race or class was something for black teens to look up to. Chadwick did a tremendous job of being an icon that brought magic and a sense of reality to a fictional character. That being said, the iconography of black panther could have continued to inspire as I believe Mr. Boseman would have wanted. Contrast Shuri as black panther, be it story, portrayal or timing, the gravity of her role was not elevated to the pedestal that became of the original black panther. Here's hoping that the next T'Challa is brought to the big screen sooner rather than later. Wakanda Forever.
YonnyLayna
YonnyLayna - 1/14/2025, 9:16 PM
I feel Toussaint being a kid/teen is an interesting element that they could take advantage like him being a mesiah figure like John Connor, Anakin or Paul Atreides
Maskmaster
Maskmaster - 1/15/2025, 12:23 PM
The fact the title of Black Panther is handed down shows the creators intent for others to become the Black Panther. He is not a one off like Jesus or Santa Claus, but out of fear or reverence people don't want to play the role. Is that how special people want Black Panther to be? Then how do young kids of any ethnicity get to look up to him?

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